I need to drill holes to install metal spindles in a handrail system. The challenge is when the handrail is mounted on a sloping wall and the holes must be drilled at a precise angle, top and bottom and of course perpendicular to one another. I am searching for a tool that will allow me to accomplish this quickly and accurately. I will mention too that the drill bit size is an odd one, usually 16.4 mm so I would also appreciate knowing where I might have custom drill bits of high quality made.
Thanks for any assistance.
Replies
Lay the railing on the steps upside down. Get a simple spade bit and file the sides, evenly, to the size you need. The point on the bit will get you started and you just drill straight down. You can make a story block which is a triangle that is the same as your rise and run. Hold it on the rail so that you know you are drilling plumb in relation to the railing.
Beat it to fit / Paint it to match
No manufacturer is going to do something requiring custom drills. Do they spec 16.4 mm? 41/64" will typically drill slightly oversize and give you a good fit or go up a 1/64". I suspect something is missing from your info. I deal with this kind of stuff all day in my job. Is it manufactured kit. Got a link. Typically they will have special jigs and fixtures to help with the process. It's a pretty common thing in our business to make or modify tools.
You can buy steel guide bushings from places like http://www.mcmaster.com and mount it in a angled guide block. Type in steel busings at mcmaster at pick the size bore you need.
I like to fit my rail up on the newels and then use a laser spot to mark the baluster centers and then I use a long spade bit to drill straight up with. The long bit gives you an accurate reference line to line up by eye. Since you can only eye one direction at a time use a string to get a reference for the bottom end of the drill bit and clamp a movable vertical fence just close enough to gauge the other vertical by eye.
1st: Confirm the 16.4mm spec. 41/64 is so close to 5/8, I'd check the spindles to verify what you really need.
2nd: Make a jig to drill your holes. I'd custom fit the first one, and use a spacing jig to drill the top and bottom holes to reference one spindle off the previous on. Check for plumb frequently to prevent going off vertical.
Greg
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Exo 35:30-35
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